About Democracy for NYC

Democracy for NYC (DFNYC) is committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean, and the national network of local coalition groups dedicated to the same.

We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally responsible and socially progressive candidates are elected at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and support legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We promote transparency and ethical practices in government. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.

The extraordinary decline in New York’s insurance rates demonstrates the profound promise of the Affordable Care Act. But many who will benefit most from expanded coverage – 2.7 million uninsured New Yorkers – have no clue what is about to happen. That's where we come in.

"Get Covered New York" is a volunteer grassroots campaign looking to raise public awareness about the new affordable health insurance options available on October 1st. It is a joint effort between Health Care for All New York coalition, Greater NYC for Change, NYC for Action and many more.

Join us in helping reach communities through tabling, canvassing and phone banking. Note: this does require some training (but not expertise), so we volunteers can give out helpful information that is not misleading. Below are a few trainings coming up:

When DFNYC did a round of endorsements in April, we did not include the Comptroller's race. There was just one candidate for the Democratic primary, Scott Stringer, and we generally only endorse in competitive races. Now that Eliot Spitzer has decided to run, DFNYC must decide whether to hold an endorsement vote. We're hearing a lot of interest in the race. Comptroller is a powerful position and also a stepping stone to higher office.

In recent newsletters, we asked for your opinion on whether we should hold an endorsement vote in the Comptroller's race, and many of you responded. Just to clarify, we are asking specifically whether DFNYC should hold a vote, not which candidate you are supporting, though we are happy to hear that as well. You can email your opinion to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. (Richard & Tracey)

Other races: We might also consider endorsing in other races, at the borough and council level. Check out our Hot Races page, and let us know if there's race we should post or get involved in: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A few considerations for the Comptrollers Race:

a. Which Candidate? Naturally, many people's response to the question "Should DFNYC hold an endorsement vote?" is "Well, who would you endorse?" Putting aside whether it is fair to consider that factor, we can quite honestly say that we are not sure. DFNYC leadership has been hearing from members, and there are strong supporters of both Scott Stringer and Eliot Spitzer, as well as many undecideds.

b. Candidate Questionnaire: We will likely have one that is specific to this race (we'll get a draft up on our website for your comments), and we'll post the candidates' answers at our website. In our experience, it is far more likely that the candidates will respond if we are actually holding an endorsement vote.

c. Timing & Threshold for Endorsement - 60%?: We would want to do the endorsement after candidate questionnaires are submitted, but early enough to be relevant to the Sept. 10th primary. Also, in this cycle, we previously used a threshold of more than 50% in races with just two candidates. We are considering, given the strong feelings in this races, that 60% is probably a better threshold for an endorsement to be a true reflection of our members' support. Opinions? Send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

d. Nature of the Endorsement: One argument against endorsing is that we have other endorsed candidates to help. One argument in favor is that by having candidate questionnaires and a vote of our members, we can help direct the attention on this race back to the issues and the power of the Comptroller's office.

e. No Endorsement Vote Possible: The choices would likely be both candidates, and No Endorsement, so it is possible that DFNYC members would vote No Endorsement. If you have any suggestions or concerns about the ballot, who/what should be included, etc., let us know: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

There's a special election for Congress on Tuesday, May 7th, and Democrat Elizabeth Busch Colbert's campaign has a system where supporters can make phone calls, even if you don't live in the district. Click here to learn more.

DFNYC and more than 45 other organizations have signed on to a letter calling on the Governor and Mayor to acknowledge the problems facing the disadvantaged areas of Far Rockaway and Hamilton Beach after Hurricane Sandy. There have been deaths from hypothermia, lack of hot food and nutrient supplements, and risk of asphyxiation from using gas stoves to heat apartments.

We are very happy to see that Gov. Cuomo has requested $30 billion from FEMA and we want to make sure that it is spent effectively. There is concern that the Rockaways, which can be difficult to access and include some of the City's poorest residents, are not getting fair treatment. Click here to read Joe Nocera's op-ed in The New York Times. Also, volunteers on the ground are noticing far more needs and problems then the official reports that elected officials are receiving.

Please take just a moment to call the elected officials below, and ask that they insure that the Rockaways and Hamilton Beach receive the resources they need, for now and to rebuild their futures.

The New York Times strongly endorsed paid sick days this weekend -- describing that many workers "have to work when ill or take unpaid sick days, which can lead to financial hardship, or, worse, dismissal."

Speaker Quinn says she opposes this policy because it will hurt business. But similar laws in others cities show that's not true. The truth is that many big corporations just don't want to do right by their workers. (Rupert Murdoch opposed paid sick days via Twitter this weekend.)

Calling a vote on paid sick leave is the right thing to do. It's the progressive thing to do. And it would be a strong show of leadership by Christine Quinn.

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A local coalition group of Democracy for America since 2004

Democracy for NYC (DFNYC) is committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean, and the national network of local coalition groups dedicated to the same.